Our Wildlife Wednesday is an animal native to Ohio that is sure to garner a lot of likes.
The bobcat is one of seven wild cat species found in North America. Prior to settlement, bobcats were common throughout Ohio but were extirpated from the state in 1850. They began to repopulate Ohio in the Mid-1900s. Since then, this cat has been sighted more often every year and is returning “home” to Ohio.
The bobcat has short, dense, soft fur. Their coat color varies to include light gray, yellowish-brown, buff, brown, and reddish-brown on the upper parts of the body. The fur on the middle of the back is frequently darker than that on the sides. Underparts and the inside of the legs are generally whitish colors with dark spots or bars. The back of the bobcat’s ears are black with white spots. The top of the tip of the ears are black; on the lynx, a cousin of the bobcat, the entire tip of the ear is black. The bobcat’s tail is also black.
For more info on this species, check out this page from your Ohio Division of Wildlife – ohiodnr.gov/…/odnr/discover-and-learn/animals/mammals/bobcat #WildOhio Ohio Department of Education
